. >> these men and women are confronted with a more dangerous environment than ever before. we are forced to continually change our strategies and tactics to accomplish our mission. our methods may change but our goals remain the same as they were in the past. to save lives and protect property. sometimes at a terrible cost. this is what we do. this is our chosen profession. this is the tradition of the firefighter. the fire service of today is ever-changing, but it is also steeped in traditions that are over 200 years old. one such tradition is the sounding of the bell. as firefighters began their tour of duty, it was the bell that signaled the beginning of that shift. throughout the day and night, each alarm was sounded by a bell. it summoned these brave souls to fight fires and place their lives in jeopardy for the good of their fellow citizens. and when the fire was out and the alarm had come to an end, it was the bell that signal the completion of that call. when a firefighter died in the line of duty paying the supreme sacrifice, it was the mournful toll of the bell th